Preparing to Buy a Home in Silicon Valley

We will work closely together to find the right Silicon Valley home.
In our first meeting, we will discuss the kind of home you need and want and where you would like to live. We will discuss how much you are willing to spend on your San Jose-area real estate purchase.

We will analyze your resources, and prepare you to buy.
If you are not already working with a local, Silicon Valley lender, I will help you to find one. This is a critical first step in determining precisely what you can afford.  In the San Jose area, a mortgage pre-approval is crucial, even at the very beginning of your home finding efforts.   Knowing your true budget will assit you in focusing on properties in the correct price range, and just as importantly, will put you in a far stronger negotiating position when you do locate the home you want to buy. In most of Silicon Valley, and particularly on the west side, a pre-approval is expected to be presented along with any offers. Not having it puts your offer at a disadvantage. This also ensures fewer problems in escrow and can enable you to have a faster closing, if that matches your needs or wishes. Many Silicon Valley home sellers will not consider offers from buyers who are not pre-approved because the buyers are considered too "risky".

We will find the right homes for you to view.
I employ cutting-edge technology to help you locate the homes on the market that have the best possible at match your specifications. You can run home searches at my Web site, save your search criteria and results in your Personal Organizer for use at a later date, and request to be notified by email when new listings that match your criteria arrive.

I will also access my local MLS, MLSListings.com,  to find properties that fit your interests, and will post them to your Personal Organizer where you can always access them. I will inform you about newly listed homes in your category and range the moment they hit the market.

Finally, you will select a home.
I will help you complete your financing and inspections, review the disclosures and that natural hazard and environmental hazard reports, and close on the transaction.

I will save you time, money and effort at each of each step of the process.
I am always familiar with the current homes on the market, and I know neighborhood values well, so I can help you determine which Silicon Valley homes are fairly-priced and in good condition before you start your search.

Buyer Agency
I offer a Buyer Agency, which is an arrangement where I actively look out for your best interests, but get paid by the seller. This relatively new situation in Real Estate eliminates that age-old question: "Just who is my agent representing—me, or the seller?"

My first priority in my relationship with you, the buyer, is that your home buying experience is pleasant, cost-efficient, and successful.  I can assist you anywhere in Santa Clara County (and possibly in neighboring counties) and specialize in the "west valley" communities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Campbell and San Jose's Almaden Valley, Willow Glen and Cambrian Park neighborhoods.

Please click here to download an online homebuyer handbook (PDF, 2 MB).